Michael Gove is running for Prime Minister

Chris Ratcliffe / Getty Justice Secretary and prominent Vote Leave campaigner Michael Gove has surprised political commentators by throwing his hat in the ring to become the next Tory Party leader and next Prime Minister.

Gove was seen as a key ally of Boris Johnson, who is also expected to announce his candidacy on Thursday. The pair campaigned together for Britain to leave the EU and many thought Gove would take the role of Chancellor in a Johnson government.

However, a leaked email from Gove's wife, the Daily Mail columnist Sarah Vine, hinted at possible divisions between the two. Vine urged Gove to seek "specific assurances" from Johnson before agreeing to support his bid to become the next Tory Party leader.

Gove attacks Johnson personally in his statement announcing his candidacy, saying "Boris cannot provide the leadership or build the team for the task ahead."

"I respect and admire all the candidates running for the leadership. In particular, I wanted to help build a team behind Boris Johnson so that a politician who argued for leaving the European Union could lead us to a better future."

"I have come reluctantly to the conclusion that Boris cannot provide the leadership or build the team for the task ahead."

"I have, therefore, decided to put my name forward for the leadership. I want there to be an open and positive debate about the path the country will now take. Whatever the verdict of the debate, I will respect it. In the next few day, I will lay out my plan for the United Kingdom which I hope can provide unity and change."

Gove, 48, was raised in Aberdeen and worked as a columnist for the Times before becoming MP for Surrey Heath in 2005.

While Gove's statement throwing his hat into the ring has been released, he has yet to officially launch his leadership campaign and ITV's deputy political editor Chris Ship says Gove is likely to officially launch the campaign tomorrow.